tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4190888768622677312016-09-07T21:29:34.769-07:00NotionsPhilosophy and Culture Shaking HandsWilliamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-76459072562272289302009-09-22T15:10:00.000-07:002009-09-22T15:10:08.440-07:00Producers Often Destroy OriginalityWhen a young artist finally gets to the point at which they have enough audience and charm to work their way into a professional studio, the excitement often runs so high that they fail to realize what is actually&nbsp;occurring&nbsp;to their music. &nbsp;Often, the perspective of the producer does not line up with the original vision of the artist for their music. &nbsp;I think it's pretty apparent when you look at artists who art out as folk acts and all of a sudden have extreme string arrangements and&nbsp;monstrous&nbsp;rhythm sections. <br /><br />I think that the appeal of simplistic music has been underestimated for decades. &nbsp;As the increasing capability of technology has extended the potential reach of musicians and producers alike, it also draws focus to inclusion of all types of content that could not normally be created by a core band.<br /><br />From my experience of working with a group of different studio producers, I realized that each of them has been involved in variant projects that ranged from classical compositions to rock influenced reggae. &nbsp;The artists who have brought their content to the table are coming from drastically different realms of music, and the integrity of their&nbsp;compositions&nbsp;deserves variant production techniques that respect those different spheres of musical innovation. <br /><br />Often, an artist will have some very original material, but the immersion of that material into a studio-produced format will take the originality away a bit. &nbsp;EVERY musician in the whole world knows how to hammer out a 4/4 rhythm, so why do studios feel the compulsion to add percussion tracks doing so into every song written in that time&nbsp;signature? &nbsp;I feel like it numbs the ear quite a bit, hearing the same thing over and over again. <br /><br />I suggest step back from the pulsating rhythms and so forth, there's been more than a fair share of exploration in that area by hip hop artists and jazz players. &nbsp;Let's focus on allowing melodies and nuance to thrive without&nbsp;stifling&nbsp;them. &nbsp;The percussion is really neat as just being a garnish anyway, a way of tying a whole piece together even, but it gets to overpowering sometimes and it kills the originality of music more often than not.Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-15911848802422151172009-04-21T15:57:00.000-07:002009-04-21T17:44:58.520-07:00"Ahoy" (a slightly satirical introduction)From here to an indeterminate amount of time, this blog will take shape of a weekly journal about my fascination with the life of the world's aquatic organisms. Ever since I was a child my imagination has always been curiously attracted to learning about the denizens of the deepest watery environments here on earth. In recent years I have explored many areas as hobbies such as performance, theatre, debate, law, music, comedy, poetry, and broadcasting... however none of these fields informs me of the world around me, particularly the aquatic portions I find to be so captivating. Thus this is my manifest reasoning behind my new ventures towards discovery. <div>I leave you know of a with a parting thought of three words in regards to my value for knowledge and nature:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Imagine, Explore, Appreciate </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div>- Mr. William Bell Flourance</div><div>University of South Carolina</div><div><br /></div><div>(no direct affiliation) </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-69134253205878869322009-04-04T14:40:00.000-07:002009-04-04T14:50:29.388-07:0019 swiftly approachesWhat the sam hill have I done in this year? <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>- got into usc</div><div>- graduated</div><div>- 3.6</div><div>- radio show</div><div>- written music, ruined music</div><div>- stopped writing poetry</div><div>- started learning spanish one word at a time</div><div>- fucked up and felt okay</div><div>- made too many new friends, seriously I can't handle it. </div><div>- not gotten any better about checking my voicemail</div><div>- lost the most sleep I ever have in my life</div><div>- bought my first industry standard microphone </div><div>- new found love for law and the constitution </div><div>- thought more about my family than ever </div><div>- had two roommates I hate</div><div>- applied for my first internship</div><div>- downloaded too much music I can't appreciate </div><div>- learned how to save money</div><div>- defined how much I care about people</div><div>- worst halloween ever</div><div>- contradicted myself and things I used to believe</div><div>- spent a lot of time in the library </div><div>- realized that on april 11th, 2009, I will no longer be barely an adult. </div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-21250326710541255382009-01-28T10:38:00.000-08:002009-01-28T11:00:22.034-08:00Lil Wayne takes it further than KanyeSo Lil' Wayne's new single "Prom Queen" leaked over the weekend and it sounds quite the way I would imagine if in a drunken fit, Weezy himself stumbled on stage at a goddamned finger eleven concert and began singing* into a vocoded mic, while the band simultaneously decides it's a good "career choice" to play along .<br /><br />*talking shit in tune<br /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 211px;" src="http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/bands/l/lil_wayne/wayne_guitar/281x211.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /><div>worst.album.ever.</div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-22540721793409528682009-01-23T15:40:00.000-08:002009-01-23T18:10:01.713-08:00Stacks in Jail<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/071013/071013_tI_vsmall.vsmall.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 148px; height: 198px;" src="http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/071013/071013_tI_vsmall.vsmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><div>Hood Life Is Hard Buddy.<br /><div>Guess Jail Life Is Hard Too.</div></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-85646809977614032212009-01-18T16:43:00.000-08:002009-01-18T16:55:55.825-08:00This Should Speak For Itself<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LbvP7dT3Dx0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LbvP7dT3Dx0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-74415789530973803862008-12-25T20:20:00.001-08:002009-01-01T01:52:50.802-08:00It's A Wonderful LifeGot a Ukelele.<div>Ate.</div><div>Played With Logic 8.</div><div>Daydreamed.</div><div>Read David Sedaris.</div><div>Saw <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div>By the way, does anyone remember the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story of the same name as this holiday academy award nominee?</div><div><br /></div><div>if not ----------> <a href="http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/Fitzgerald/jazz/benjamin/benjamin1.htm">Thanks UVA</a></div><div><br /></div><div>The plot of the film is completely off. I understand it's an adaptation, but seriously? </div><div>Civil War ≠ WWI</div><div>Button Family ≠ Retirement Home Foster Family</div><div>Seeking an Education ≠ Going on Tugboat Voyages</div><div>Hardware Business ≠ Button Business</div><div><br /></div><div>whatever David Fincher. Well... it's still a great film.</div><div>The best piece of cinema I've seen with Brad Pitt in it since Ocean's 11.</div><div><br /></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-56617288968777829212008-12-24T21:47:00.000-08:002009-01-23T15:35:51.442-08:00Not to be blasphemous...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; "><div style="display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">NOW</span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://uath.org/images/funny/2006-04/pope_funny.jpg"></a></span></div></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(85, 26, 139); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"><div style="display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://uath.org/images/funny/2006-04/pope_funny.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="http://uath.org/images/funny/2006-04/pope_funny.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></span></div></span></span><br /></div></span><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">THEN </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 380px;" src="http://store.infinitecoolness.com/coolposters/personalities/themunsters/themunsterstvposter009.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-42611782130560627092008-12-20T22:14:00.001-08:002008-12-20T23:48:35.000-08:00UpdateSince I've been home I've recorded a bunch of demos that I hope to share real soon, and even get some shows booked. Right now it's looking like this<div>- Ocean</div><div>- 6411 Shady Lane</div><div>- James and Robert pt. 1</div><div>- Philosophy</div><div>- Used</div><div>- Paradise</div><div>- Mirrors</div><div>- Michelle</div><div>- Animal</div><div>- Homesick (Wrong)</div><div>- R.H.F 1970</div><div>- Busted Chains</div><div>- Season of Sunshine</div><div>- Over the Mountains</div><div><br /></div><div>whole lots of songs from <a href="http://myspace.com/thoreaukeepsitsimple">thoreau!</a></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/42/l_96c47f2d0ccd4c01b6ecd4b535dee97e.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="cursor: pointer; width: 419px; height: 704px; " /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-72783405859385163362008-12-10T16:03:00.000-08:002008-12-10T16:05:38.680-08:00Home Soon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/3077764641_1f1245417c.jpg?v=0"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 456px; height: 342px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/3077764641_1f1245417c.jpg?v=0" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div>Some things have changed,</div><div>but I guess not everything. =]</div><div><br /></div><div>2dk/hoa/sku</div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-72538476753838588682008-12-06T09:34:00.000-08:002008-12-06T09:41:06.225-08:00Duly Noted.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I love it when people:</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div>- throw things at me</div><div>- turn arguments into pissing contests</div><div>- criticize criticism</div><div>- write derivative music</div><div>- think they know course material when they don't</div><div><br /></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-67480305102901327722008-11-29T23:38:00.001-08:002008-11-29T23:41:37.093-08:00Israel... The Things I Find<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NWvYsbhrQK0&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NWvYsbhrQK0&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Derech Hemelach by Israeli Rap Group Kele 6Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-21864876260335245172008-11-27T13:10:00.000-08:002008-11-27T13:25:44.959-08:00Tonight, I had a couple friends over to watch a movie. In the spirit of the season we chose to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. The fascinating part about this episode was the incorporation of Franklin, the only black character in the world of Charlie Brown. If you look him up on wikipedia, there are references to Franklin being Schulz's manifestation of political opinion against segregation. However, certain things do seem to catch one's eye in the 1973 special A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Notably, Franklin dresses in a rather loud pair of striped trousers, plays on a baseball team (the jackie robinson effect), and greets charlie brown with low-five handshakes. what's wrong with this picture?<img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_fEU_MCLHdFY/R0c4HAn2XSI/AAAAAAAABS4/ElhoSsjhj3k/s400/2051365227_c7cba726cf.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><div>and this one?</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v346/snoopsy/PDVD_0t43.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 48px; white-space: pre; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">and thus, franchise defeats meaning.</span></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-67740658068684200542008-11-24T01:03:00.000-08:002008-11-24T01:07:38.296-08:00Fuck Guitar HeroPlease... let's stop blurring the line between music and video games. <div><br /></div><div>Anyway, now that I've said that, I must admit that I've finally decided it's pointless to put up my playlist from the radio shows anyway, because I don't even like most of what we play.</div><div><br /></div><div>What has music become to me? It's hard to find something I get really excited about these days... I feel de-sensitized.</div><div><br /></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-22954546782963019742008-11-18T23:22:00.000-08:002008-11-18T23:46:29.747-08:00HappeningsSo, tonight was the night of the USC <a href="http://www.cp.sc.edu/concerts.htm#ACOUSTICCAFE">acoustic cafe</a> where my good friend and fellow musician <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&amp;friendid=197818223">Cayla Fralick</a> played a wonderful set. We've been discussing her doing guest vocals on the the current demo album I'm recording - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Success to the British Navy, </span>under the Moniker <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thoreaukeepsitsimple">Thoreau.</a><div> </div><div>Another great thing that happened tonight is that my good friend David, who runs the <a href="http://www.scenesc.com/">SCene SC</a> music aggregator blog, has enlisted me into the organization's staff. This means I get business cards... for truth. If you're in a band and looking to sell ad space on the site itself, hit David up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, I doubt I will be attending the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/copeland">Copeland </a>show tomorrow at New Brooklyn Tavern, good journalism grades are a primary achievement. It's still sure to be awesome though. </div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-4376898140425023722008-11-10T00:33:00.000-08:002008-11-10T00:40:44.368-08:00Why The HellAre <a href="http://www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes">Fleet Foxes</a> SOOOO Damn Good?????????????????<div><br /></div><div>one of my new favorites. </div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 170px; height: 242px;" src="http://a471.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/118/m_e7f2042f2aefcb53cf3d2e2eec4c5a66.jpg" border="0" alt="" /><br /></div>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-39846102153579662812008-11-09T17:49:00.000-08:002008-11-09T18:00:05.600-08:00Fundraiser ShowBakari is acting hood as shit tonight.<br /><br />"i'll cut any nigga ass who try to steal ma fries... an dats troof."<br />- Bakari Lebby<br /><br />So tonight on flip the script, we're playing a special funraiser show that invloves bakari playing an hour set of Taking Back Sunday, and me playing an hour of Bright Eyes. It's probably the only time we'll ever be able to play top 40 albums and material so If you love wither of these bands, or both, be sure to tune in to flip da script radio tonight. <br /><br />pens, bitch.<br /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 1024px; height: 649px;" src="http://thomashawk.com/hello/209/1017/1024/Pens.jpg" border="0" alt="" />Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-58062991673341503612008-10-29T11:51:00.000-07:002008-10-29T13:08:56.126-07:00Moveon.orgYou've probably heard of this campaign already, the one about moveon.org sending personalized videos to people by request of their friends. These videos feature a fake news reporter saying that a certain individual (Your name) is responsible for Barack Obama for losing the election. I received one of these e-mails the other day and it's extremely well done. Now here's a question... will this actually increase voter registration? I highly doubt it. First off, I think it's improbable that their tactics of humor fueled actually would convince someone bitter or lazy enough not to vote to correct such behavior. Who is the ass hat who came up with this? Do they even realize that the reason why people do not vote might be because they are not registered? If so, this campaign was planned at an unfortunate time, because registering to vote has already hit the deadline? Apparently is within keeping of moveon.org's reputation of wasting money... a la "General Betray-Us" ads that were run in the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">NY Times </span>and created such controversy they had to be withdrawn weeks after they were run for blasphemous content. I like spending money too moveon, but at least on things that are practical.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="360" height="300"><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://s3.moveon.org/swf/embed.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="FlashVars" value="id=qQ_3IAlaAMmSqLpv4c4yNzYxODYwMzI-"></param><embed FlashVars="id=qQ_3IAlaAMmSqLpv4c4yNzYxODYwMzI-" src="http://s3.moveon.org/swf/embed.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" width="360" height="300"></embed></object>Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-56829014828553315572008-10-19T23:49:00.000-07:002008-10-20T12:21:39.387-07:00Halloween ApproachesThe most unnecessary holiday? hardly.<br /><br />I've been ready for Halloween since February, and want to have one of those lucid halloween memories where something spooky, unpredictable happens... something that feels like it should be in one of those feel good halloween specials from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Home Improvement </span>or <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Simpsons </span>or even <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Sabrina The Teenage Witch. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div>I want something enjoyably terrifying, or delightfully dark... something like a walking skeleton telling crazy stories, a swamp man on turntables, or a mummy cruising in a Scion.</div><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.scaryspookysounds.com/images/donhinson.jpg" alt="" border="0" />Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-9879769567963639332008-10-19T22:54:00.000-07:002008-10-19T22:55:14.119-07:00Flip the Script RadioTonight is the first show we're doing from 2-4 AM.<br /><br />This is going to be experience of cosmic force, as the stars align with the exact angle of our transmitter, to give you the utmost interstellar listening experience.<br /><br />I'll post the playlist soon.Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-419088876862267731.post-70215152701035307052008-10-11T21:59:00.000-07:002008-10-16T12:42:29.781-07:00Airports"Featured on my top ten list of places to hang yourself."<br /><br />The airports I've been too have always been cold, no matter what time of the year. I figured it must always have had something to do with the amount of air flow that comes through the terminal-they would crank up the AC on the hot days, and on cold days, heat would usually escape through the large pains of glass that separates the customers from the elements outside. after thinking back to a few science classes about how heat travels, I realized that my notions about airport climates could just not be true, so I decided to chalk it up to inability for airport employees to understand what it was like to be human at some point in their life. generally, working in some establishment related tot the airline industry has a de-moralizing quality to it, almost as if Satan himself laid the blue-prints for every tarmac, every baggage carousel, and most certainly every airport express jamba juice. <br /><br />I find that people who are employed by airports generally do not smile all that much, if ever. Whenever I buy a paper at the magazinery in an airport, I almost always leave a penny rather than take one, even if it means splitting a larger bill, mostly because I am utterly terrified that the man behind the counter will leap out at me with his tongue forked, scales shot-up, and hit eyes painfully crossed if I do not contribute to the giving end of the commercial taboo, its motto scawled on the edges a state lottery ash tray, that seems to find it's way into every airport cash register I ever been to in the states. So much to be abandoned. The Virginia State Lottery has a very distinct "take a penny" ash tray, as it is distinguished by its pool felt green finish and triangular mold. Since it is such a noticeable item, I can't help but notice it whenever I'm in a convenience store located in some other state than Virginia. For all I know, they're damn collector's items.<br /><br /> On a trip to Massachusetts I entered a Tom Thumb gas station vestibule to purchase a package of skittles. At the cashier, I noticed it; the Virginia Lottery's tray staring me straight in the middle of the forehead. Little things like this have a strange tendency to catch me off guard and lead to me asking pointless questions to people who really haven't got the time. "Any reason why you've got a Virginia ashtray?" I posed to a raisin faced man working the register. Such pointless questions get very charming, blunt responses: "For when my fucking cigarette gets ashes." At that time, I figured I better not mention that it really was for the "take a penny, leave a penny" policy, and decided that if I really wanted to get those skittles painlessly, I shouldn't question where this man ought to put out his smoke when it "got ashes." The poor phrasing he had chosen made it sound like cigarettes got diseases too.<br /><br />Ever since the unpleasant experience in Massachusetts, I've become more cautious in my behavior, most effectively when I'm in Dulles or Reagan National. Only to add to my anxieties involving airports, I read an article in the washington post's outlook section the other day about how the ladder of the two locations will commence use of new security technology that will allow passengers' clothing to be seen through. Finally, now I can breathe easy knowing that my naked body will be seen the next time I choose to take a flight from the airport named after a president who probably approved the funding for the creation of such ludicrous technology as these peeping-tom scanners. All this for the sake of defending the homeland. <br /><br />If it's any consolation to the reader, the article mentioned it was against Reagan National's "devout" costumer service policies if the examiners who operate the screenings came in contact with any customer who had been viewed in the nude. This raises to my mind, another potentially pointless question: Suppose an operator and a customer were to come in contact accidently, perhaps an unintentional rendezvous a la Cinnabon. (That seems altogether too hopeful, so more realistically: the airport's bathroom.) Now upon this encounter, what is that exact employee supposed to do? I came up with a list of preferable solutions:<br /><br />- The employee apologizes with a complimentary "one free drink" waiver for the airport's Starbucks.<br /><br />- You can opt out of the security screen, replaced by a relatively "easy going" frisking.<br /><br />- or, simply, you get your ticket bumped to first class.<br /><br />Restroom etiquette and apologetics I doubt are anyone's forte, especially a soul-less, voyeuristic, airport security employee.Williamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02272799621684068715noreply@blogger.com0